Counterbalance-ladder construction



G a O l Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,117

J. T. COWLES COUNTERBALANCE LADDER CONSTRUGTI ON Filed Jan. 4, 1925 llll Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,432,117 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. COWLES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO J. T. GOWLES & COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS;

COUNTERBALANCE-LADDER CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 4, 1923. Serial No. 610,566.

T all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN T. CowLns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterbalance-Ladder Constructions, of which the following is a structure, with certain of the members prospecification.

My invention relates to counter-balance ladders and refers more particularly to fire escapes and Other ladders,which are subject to atmospheric conditions.

In the construction of counter-balance ladders heretofore employed it has been customary to fasten the counter-balance arm to the ladder by rivets orbolts passing through the arm and a portion of the ladder, with the result that the adjoining surfaces can not be painted from time to time to preserve the metal parts; Such failure. to preserve has resulted inpremature rusting along the contacting faces 01' surfaces of the arm and ladder requiring frequent repairs and replacements. My invention overcomes this objection in that the counterbalance arm is secured to the ladder. in spaced relation bymembers having curved surfaces so as to reduce to a minimum the area of contact between the members and the ladder.

An object ofmy invention is to provide a counter-balance ladder construction to prevent rusting of adjacent parts and premature destruction of the same.

Another object is to provide a counter-- balance ladder construction wherein the counter-balance arm may be attached to the ladder in such manner as to reduce the area of contact to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a counter-balance ladder construction wherein the arm may be applied to the ladder in such manner as to reduce the contacting surfaces therebetween to a minimum,

' thus enabling the application of preservatives, such as paint, to the greater portion of the surfaces of said ladder and arm for the prevention of rust.

A still further object of the invention is to provide acounter-balance arm for application to pivoted structureswherein the con-' tacting surfaces may be reduced in area with the parts arranged to receive ready application of preservatives. v V

Generally speaking, I carry out the preferred embodiment of the invention by se-- curing a counter-balance arm to a ladder or similar structure, which arm is arranged in parallel spaced relation with respect to the ladder and is attached in such position by members, certain of which have curved surfaces for clamping against the ladder ladder.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the arrange ment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and i Fig. i is an enlarged section taken on line H of Fig. 3.

It has been the practice in the past to attach a counter-balance arm toa ladder, especially a fire escape ladder, along the side of the ladderproper, with the result that rust takes place and the parts quickly rust and'become unsafe. I

In the drawings, I have shown a platform 5- of a fire escape system secured by supports 6 to'the wall of the building in any desirable manner. Extending downwardly from the platform 5 is a section 7 including steps. At the lower end of section? a pivot 8 is provided, which is secured by means of supporting rods 8 to suitable overhead connections. The ladder A is pivoted at S and is adapted to swing about the pivot into operative and inoperative positions for purposes well understood. 7

The ladder A comprises side members formed of parallel flat strips 9 and 10 arm extends on the opposite side of the pivot 8 and is secured to the ladder A in the fol. owing manner.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the arm 16 is channel shaped in form, which channel comprises flanges 17 and 18. The arm 16 is disposed in edgewise relation with respect to the side members 9 and 10 of the ladder and is spaced therefrom a portions, a lower portion 19 which is cylindrical and which is in size and shape the same as the members 20; a second portion 19*, which is reduced in diameter to form a bolt, the outer end of which is threaded as at 21. The members 19 and 20 are provided with registering apertures 22 and 23 through which a bolt 2 1- is passed for clamping the members 19 and 20 on opposite sides of the members 9 and 10 of the ladder side. Such construction is shown in Fig. 3. The flanges 17 and 18 of the counter balance armare provided with registering apertures 25 and 26 through which the re duced or bolt portions 19 of the clamping members 19 are passed, and a nut 27 is then applied to the upper or threaded end of each of the members 19 It will be observed that the contact of the members 19 and 20 with the flat members 9 and 10 of the ladder side is the contact of a curved or cylindrical surface against a flat surface, the relationship of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Such construction permits the ready application of paint or other preservative to the metal parts of the ladder and arm and the ready application of paint or the like to all but a very small part of the area between the clamping members 19 and 20. Such a construction affords the exclusion of rust from between the adjacent surfaces as it permits ready application of preservatives to substantially all of the exposed surfaces.

In the drawings I have shown three sets of clamps 19 and 20 supporting the arm '16 above the upper edge of the side member 9 of the ladder. It is within the contemplation of the inventionto support the arm 16 below the ladder side, if desirable.

eliminates areas within which moisture may gather and oxidation result. A ladder constructed in accordance with my invention will outlast many times a similar ladder arranged with the counterbalance arm secured alongside the side members of the ladder where flat surfaces are in contact with other flat surfaces. I

While I have described more or less precisely the. details of construction of my in vention, I do not wish to, be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate It may readily be observed that this construction changes in form and ,in the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, including in combination a pivoted structure and a counter-balance arm therefor, said arm being secured to said structure in parallel spaced relation, means for securing said arm along said structure comprising members having curved surfaces for contacting portions of the structure, certain of said members having portions adapted to engage and hold said arm in operative position, and means co-operating with said curved surface members for maintaining the same in contact with the said structure.

2. A counter-balance ladder, including in combination a counterrbalance arm, said arm being secured to said ladder in edgewise relation and attached to one of the sides of said ladder, means for holding said arm in position comprising a plurality of sets of clamps, said clamps having cylindrical portions for bearing against the ladder side with certain of said members provided with extensions for engaging said arm, and means co-operating with said cylindrical portions for securing the same in clamping engagement against the ladder side.

3,. A counter-balance ladder having an arm secured to the ladder by a plurality of sets of clamps, said sets of clamps having curved surfaces disposed on opposite portions of a side member of the ladder with means passing through said members for clamping the same against said ladder, certain of said clamping members being provided with portions engaging said arm for retaining the same in position on the ladder.

4:. In a device of the class. described, in combination a pivoted structure, a counterbalance arm therefor, and means for securing said arm on to said structure including members having curved surfaces engaging said arm and adapted to be clamped against flat surfaces of said structure for reducing the area of contact therewith.

5. Ina device of the class described in combination with a pivoted structure, a counter-balance arm therefor, said arm being secured above said structure in parallel exposed relation, means for securing said arm to said. structure comprising members having cylindrical surfaces for contacting portions of said structure, certain of said members having reduced portions adapted to engage and hold said arm in operative relation, and bolts extending through said members for clamping said members to said structure.

6. In a device of the class described, in

combination with a pivoted structure, a clamped against the flat surface of said counter-balance arm therefor, and means structure.

for securing said arm on said structure com- In testimony whereof I have signed my 1 prising a plurality of cylindrical members, name to this specification on this 29th day 5 certain of said members having reduced of December, A. D. 1922.

ortions for engaging said arm, said memers having their cylindrical surfaces JOHN T. COWLES. 

